The anticipated final DLC to The Binding Of Isaac has released, and has quickly reminded fans why this dark, chaotic roguelike is so memorable. This robust expansion incorporates and refines the content of the popular fan mod known as Antibirth, while also injecting a reworked co-op mode, more baddies, challenges, and loads of amusing new items.
The slew of wild items, trinkets, and buffs have long been one of The Binding Of Isaac's biggest draws, and this DLC certainly doesn't let up on that front. With over 700 items now in total (130 new ones included with Repentance), it can be tough to pinpoint which are most potent and useful. There are many winners to choose from, but those below are some of the best.
Updated March 25th, 2022 by Stephen LaGioia: This twisted, addictive roguelike continues to entice gamers with its deceptively deep gameplay and an onslaught of random elements that keeps the experience fresh. Recent discounts and new discoveries, tactics, and exploits continue to keep The Binding of Isaac on gamers' radar—along with a steady stream of DLC content and mods.
As such, we've decided to revisit and further flesh out this list of the best items in the Binding of Isaac: Repentance.
15 Freezer Baby
This nifty little guy can be deceptively powerful. The Freezer Baby is a familiar that frequently shoots sharp icicles about, which can potentially petrify baddies they come into contact with. Moreover, enemies that are slain will be turned into frozen blocks, which can further be exploited to inflict more carnage.
Frozen enemies can not only be hit into other foes, but are also useful in blocking shots from others. When run into, frozen foes burst into a ring of 10 ice tears, which in turn slow and freeze. Basically, this move compounds upon itself and produces a sort of destructive ripple effect, making it great for crowd control.
14 Dark Arts
While the effects of this one seem subtle, they can really make an impact in the many heated battles Isaac will be entangled with over time. Dark Arts grants a +1.0 speed boost, and can walk right through baddies and bullets for a second—or until he shoots again.
This is augmented by the perk of freezing enemies when walking through them or their bullets (until the effect ends), with double damage from that which Isaac takes plus 3.5 more. As one might imagine, this activated item Isaac evade and outlast enemies along with adding another, more passive means of firepower. It's a great complement for more offensive abilities as well.
13 Binge Eater
Isaac can become a truly efficient survivalist with this gluttonous passive perk. Binge Eater provides him with one Red Heart Container and fully restores health.
But on top of this, players can utilize all items as generic HP/food items if they choose, while gaining small boosts in certain stats when consuming them. This includes a 3.6 damage boost (fading after 30 seconds) and permanent boosts to two stats. This comes at a marginal cost of a -0.03 speed reduction, but it's well worth the investment. Essentially, this is an HP upgrade on steroids.
12 Spirit Sword
Melee fighters rejoice! This item turns Isaac into a close-range fighting machine, replacing his tears with a potent sword. This swinging sword not only covers ample ground, but also inflicts 3x Isaac's usual damage, plus an added 3.5. At the same time, the sword deals knockback to multiple targets (as well as Isaac), if it finds its mark. It can also be swung in a spin attack, deflect enemy projectiles, and launch a projectile of its own.
Added to this is the swift speed at which this sword can be swung, and its nifty ability to nab pickups. The knockback can be a bit jarring at first, but once players get the hang of it, it's quite a deadly, efficient weapon. For the offensively-minded (and Zelda fans), this is really one of the best new items Repentance has to offer.
11 Trisagion
This passive item turns Isaac into a long-range destroyer, as it swaps out tears with piercing white blasts of deadly light. While they only inflict a 33% chunk of the usual damage, this is more than made up for by their ability to strike the same target multiple times.
And this can occur fairly easily, as these blasts launch as large projectiles, which don't knock enemies back. This can be exploited by backing up while firing, as the tears will glide along more slowly, maximizing hits. The Trisagion can really cut through mobs like butter, quickly chipping away at most in its wake.
Pair it with 8 Inch Nails, Blister, or Pisces for a solid crowd-control weapon of evasion, as the barrage of knockbacks will massively repel baddies.
10 Berserk!
Both powerful and satisfying, Berserk! Allows Isaac to unleash his inner rage, turning him into an enraged fighter with greatly increased speed, tears, and damage. Specifically, he's granted a 0.4 bump in speed and an added 3 damage.
This rampage lasts for around five seconds, and his tears are replaced by a strong, but limited-range melee weapon: a jaw bone. Not only is this weapon potent when swung, but it also reflects enemy shots, and killing an enemy with it will tack on a second to the Berserk duration. On top of all this added juice, Isaac is unable to die while Berserking, and will gain brief invincibility shortly after an enemy is slain.
9 Sacred Orb
While player skill is of course useful, luck is often a secondary factor when it comes to Roguelikes such as Isaac. One's run can be greatly prolonged or cut short just because of a string of luck involving enemy spawns or items. Luckily, this coveted orb can mitigate much of this.
This passive item all but ensures Isaac will be a degree better-equipped for battle, giving players far more of a fighting chance. The Sacred Orb prevents low-quality items from appearing, while significantly bumping up the quality of items obtained from item pools. Any item that falls in the zero-to-one pool will be rerolled, while those with a quality of two have a 33% chance of being rerolled.
8 Astral Projection
This passive item allows for a satisfying out-of-body experience, which allows Isaac to exact instant revenge on his attackers. When Isaac is struck in an uncleared room, time will freeze for a couple seconds as he swiftly turns into a ghost.
This amps up both his strength and mobility, as Isaac will be able to fly around while firing spectral tears, and absorb the next hit he takes absent damage. His speed is also bumped up, making him both an offensive and evasive force. He'll only reenter his body after a room has been cleared or he gets hit a second time. There are few better options in Repentance when it comes to effective room-clearing items.
7 Immaculate Heart
In a frantic, action-laden romp like Isaac, being able to weather offensive barrages and survive is crucial. And while some may view this passive item as being fairly dull in terms of flashiness or offensive prowess, it can really make a difference throughout the long grind.
This item subtly but effectively boosts Isaac in a number of ways; with the key attributes being a 1.2x damage multiplier and the useful addition of a Red Heart Container. Not only this, but Isaac's health is fully restored, and he'll be equipped with spectral tears that orbit around him.
6 Keeper's Sack
Frequent shop visitors will find this one particularly great, as the Keeper's Sack grants Isaac with stat upgrades any time he buys items or pickups from shops. This effectively doubles the usefulness of shops, as they now buff Isaac along with providing him with handy new items.
The potential upgrades include a 0.5 bump to damage, 0.03 boost to speed, or a 0.25 boost to range. Every purchase will trigger this boost, plus one for every five cents spent on the item or pickup. As a nice little bonus, the Keeper's Sack also yields three coins and a key on pickup.